Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a condition of advanced degeneration of the macular portion of the retina that leads to progressive blindness in over 35% of the population over the age of 75, or about 8 million people. AMD is expected to nearly double in the next 25 years. AMD has been linked to the stress engendered by radical oxygen species in macular photoreceptor cells and proximate retinal pigment epithelium cells (RPE). This is a new research proposal (R15), which aims at understanding the role of melanin containing melanosomes in RPE cells. The novelty of the proposed research is in its unique approach, which will, for the first time, allows analyzing the structure of individual melanosomes as they are exposed to oxidative stress. The significance is both in the fundamental understanding of molecular microscopic processes leading to AMD and simultaneous developing of new non-invasive imaging tools capable of early diagnostics of melanosomes'degradation. The proposed research is submitted in response to the Academic Research Enhancement Award program announcement and is directed toward broader involvement of undergraduate students into research related to General Medicine Studies. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a condition of advanced degeneration of the macular portion of the retina that leads to progressive blindness in over 8 million people annually. The proposed research aims at the detailed understanding of molecular mechanisms of the development of AMD, while exploring the novel imaging tools for early diagnosis of cells'degradation.